NHL Rumor Mill – July 5, 2023

by | Jul 5, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – July 5, 2023

The latest on William Nylander and Matt Murray, an update on Alex DeBrincat, and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LEAFS, NYLANDER REPORTEDLY FAR APART IN CONTRACT TALKS

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Nick Barden cited TSN’s Chris Johnston’s recent report claiming contract extension talks between the Toronto Maple Leafs and William Nylander “aren’t going well.” The 27-year-old winger is a year away from unrestricted free-agent status and carries an average annual cap hit of just under $7 million on his current contract.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander (NHL Images).

Johnston said the two sides had “a lot of discussions” during the draft in Nashville but “see the world differently at this point in time.” He claimed that Nylander sees himself as a $10 million player based on his points but the Leafs are trying to get him at a lower number.

TORONTO SUN: Lance Hornby reminds us that Nylander and the Leafs played contract chicken during the first half of the 2018-19 season when he was a restricted free agent. The staring contest went down to the Dec. 1 deadline before the two sides agreed to his current deal.

Hornby notes that Nylander hit career highs this season with 40 goals and 87 points. The winger was also fourth in playoff scoring with 10 points despite seeing less ice time than Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner.

Leafs general manager Brad Treliving is reportedly offering the Nylander camp an AAV of $9 million. Meanwhile, has to get a new contract hammered out for Matthews before next summer and keep an eye on a new deal for Marner before the summer of 2025.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nylander’s previous contract standoff never sat well with some Leafs fans, who’ve used it as a cudgel against the winger whenever he hasn’t played up to their expectations. Another lengthy negotiation will likely prompt them to demand that Treliving trade him as soon as possible for the best potential return.

Treliving wasn’t the general manager during Nylander’s 2018 contract talks. However, he’s inherited limited cap room from his predecessor, who had no problem tossing cash around on Matthews, Marner and John Tavares.

Back then, the argument was Nylander wasn’t in the same class as his three high-profile teammates. Nevertheless, he has steadily improved since 2018-19 into a point-per-game player. He’s also garnered a reputation as a reliable playoff performer.

As Johnston said, Nylander made a reasonable argument that he’s a $10 million per season player. If the Leafs won’t pay him that much, other clubs will, especially if he hits the open market next summer with a salary cap expected to significantly jump following four seasons of stagnation.

I think the Leafs will open the vault for Matthews and Marner but not for Nylander. He could end up playing elsewhere in 2024-25 as a free agent unless the Leafs decide to trade him this summer. Either way, I expect he’ll shine with his new club to the consternation of his critics in Toronto.

LEAFS TRYING TO TRADE MURRAY

THE SCORE: Sean O’Leary cited Chris Johnston reporting the Leafs are trying to shed the final season of goaltender Matt Murray’s contract for salary-cap relief. He’s on their books for $4.6 million for 2023-24 before becoming a UFA next summer.

According to Johnston, the Leafs would prefer a trade. However, they might avail themselves of the second buyout window if a trade fails to materialize. Teams can use that second buyout window if they have a player who files for salary arbitration. Restricted free-agent goaltender Ilya Samsonov could opt to go that route. The filing deadline is 5 pm on July 5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Murray’s injury history and 10-team no-trade clause could make a buyout more likely than a trade.

LATEST ON DEBRINCAT

SPORTSNET: Wayne Scanlan looked at three possible scenarios for Ottawa Senators winger Alex DeBrincat. The 25-year-old restricted free-agent winger reportedly prefers a trade to an American club but the Senators are having difficulty finding a suitable deal.

One outcome is DeBrincat returns to the Senators this season on an arbitration deal. However, the club has filed to take him to arbitration meaning the maximum award would be 15 percent less than what his qualifying offer ($9 million) would’ve been. They could attempt to move him later in the season near the trade deadline or keep him for a potential playoff run.

Another sees him signing a bridge deal with the Senators for two or three years. That would buy the Senators more time to find a suitable trade package while DeBrincat could become a UFA at 27 or 28 and cash in big on the open market.

The other, more likely outcome is a trade. That would depend on the Senators finding a return that helps them now while the DeBrincat camp find a contract they can live with, though perhaps not the long-term deal they recently envisioned.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It might be to DeBrincat’s advantage to accept a short-term deal to facilitate a trade. The cap is going to rise substantially for 2024-25 and 2025-26. He’d then be in a better position to find a more lucrative long-term deal either with his new team or on the open market.

Speaking of a trade, Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek reports the Detroit Red Wings and New York Islanders remain in the DeBrincat sweepstakes.

ARE THE SHARKS AND CANUCKS WORKING ON A MYERS-FOR-LABANC TRADE?

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sheng Peng cited Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reporting the San Jose Sharks and Vancouver Canucks have a deal on the table involving Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers. It would see Myers head to San Jose straight up for winger Kevin Labanc.

So far, that deal has yet to materialize. Seravalli claimed the Canucks were exasperated that this offer has sat on the table for some time now.

Peng speculates the Sharks prefer waiting until Myers is paid his $5 million signing bonus on Sept. 1. After that, the Sharks would only have to pay him $1 million of his remaining actual salary, though the $6 million cap hit would count against their salary cap for this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If that’s the case I expect the Sharks would’ve communicated that to the Canucks by now. The delay could also be due to the Sharks’ efforts to trade Erik Karlsson.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 4, 2023

by | Jul 4, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – July 4, 2023

Update on Alex DeBrincat, John Gibson’s agent clashes with a pundit over his trade request, and the latest on Vladimir Tarasenko in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

UPDATE ON DEBRINCAT

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Senators management continues working the phones trying to trade Alex DeBrincat. However, the 25-year-old winger’s contract demands are holding things up.

Ottawa Senators winger Alex DeBrincat (NHL Images).

Garrioch cited TSN’s Darren Dreger claiming the DeBrincat camp seeks an eight-year, $70.2 million contract. That’s roughly the same contract winger Timo Meier signed with the San Jose Sharks.

Dreger also indicated that the Michigan-born DeBrincat prefers to play in the United States for family reasons. He said that the clubs considering him feel his value is closer to the eight-year, $63 million deal signed by Meier’s teammate, Jesper Bratt.

The Senators would like to move out DeBrincat in order to focus on other needs. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman recently reported they had spoken to unrestricted free-agent winger Vladimir Tarasenko. There’s talk the 31-year-old winger isn’t keen to play in Canada but could be facing limited options.

THE ATHLETIC: Ian Mendes reports DeBrincat’s agent, Jeff Jackson, denied that his camp’s contract demands were holding up a trade. He called the report “entirely false and without merit”. To his knowledge, Jackson indicated there had been no agreement of any kind of trade involving his client. He added they would require that before entering into a negotiation.

Jackson also pointed out that his camp is not blocking a trade. He noted that his client lacks a no-trade clause, allowing the Senators to send him wherever they want.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The DeBrincat camp reportedly provided the Senators with a list of preferred destinations but Jackson is right that there is no limitation on where they can trade his client. The Senators probably prefer a sign-and-trade scenario as that would provide them with the best return.

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears wondered if DeBrincat would be a good fit with the Islanders. He cited reports out of Ottawa including the Islanders on a list of groups interested in the winger.

Sears noted there is an obvious need for the Islanders to add a scoring winger. However, their limited salary-cap space ($1.08 million) would make it difficult to swing a trade.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Jared Serre suggests DeBrincat would be a good fit with the Capitals. While he’s the right age and has the scoring skills, their own salary-cap constraints make this almost impossible unless they can find a way to shed the salaries of Evgeny Kuznetsov and Anthony Mantha.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It will take quite a bit of cap juggling for the Isles or Capitals to land DeBrincat, especially if they intend on signing him to a long-term contract.

DOES GIBSON WANT OUT OF ANAHEIM?

SPORTSNET: Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli told the Nasty Knuckles podcast that goaltender John Gibson had asked for a trade from the Anaheim Ducks, telling them that he wasn’t playing another game for the club.

Gibson’s agent Kurt Overhardt issued a statement on his client’s behalf regarding Servalli’s remarks, calling them “false, unjust and inflammatory”. He added that that Gibson never made any such statement to any member of the Ducks front office.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seravalli responded to Overhardt’s statement on Twitter. He reminded Overhardt of an occasion three years ago when the agent denied Seravalli’s report claiming that his director of hockey operations and licensing was joining the Arizona Coyotes. Shortly afterward, the Coyotes confirmed the hiring.

There were reports this spring claiming the 29-year-old goaltender has spoken with Ducks management about a possible trade. With an annual cap hit of $6.4 million through 2026-27, his contract could be difficult to move given the high number of teams with limited cap space for 2023-24.

LATEST ON TARASENKO

RDS.CA: cited Bally Sports Midwest’s Andy Strickland reporting free-agent winger Vladimir Tarasenko is mulling up to six offers from NHL clubs. Some are for one year while others are multi-year. Strickland believes the 31-year-old winger is closing in on a decision.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As noted earlier, the Senators are believed to have spoken to Tarasenko. There’s also speculation the Carolina Hurricanes are among the suitors.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 3, 2023

by | Jul 3, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – July 3, 2023

Senators linked to Vladimir Tarasenko plus the latest on the Leafs and Bruins in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SPORTSNET: On Saturday evening, Elliotte Friedman tweeted that the Ottawa Senators had had discussions with free-agent winger Vladimir Tarasenko. He indicated there were “some moving parts here”, referring to how things unfold with winger Alex DeBrincat.

Vladimir Tarasenko (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As of this writing, there’s been no further word regarding talks between Tarasenko and the Senators. The 31-year-old right winger is a six-time 30-goal scorer who’s also a year removed from a career-best 82-point performance.

Tarasenko completed an eight-year, $60 million contract. He won’t get anything close to that in this year’s market given the high number of teams with limited cap space. He could end up accepting a one-year deal with the Senators or another club and return to the market next year when the cap is projected to rise by at least $4 million.

The Senators have been trying to trade DeBrincat since June but recent reports claim they’ve had no luck finding a club willing to ink the 25-year-old winger to a long-term extension. They’re taking DeBrincat to arbitration with a hearing sometime between July 20 and August 4.

TORONTO STAR: Kevin McGran reports the Maple Leafs’ signings of Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi push them above the $83.5 million salary cap by $8.1 million. They still have to sign restricted free agent goaltender Ilya Samsonov to a new contract that could come in between $2.5 million and $4 million per season.

Teams are allowed to exceed the cap by 10 percent during the offseason but must be compliant when the regular season begins in October. The Leafs can get some savings by placing permanently sidelined defenseman Jake Muzzin on long-term injury reserve. Moving the contract of goaltender Matt Murray (the Leafs share is just over $4.6 million) or buying him out could free up enough to get them under the cap.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap Friendly shows the Leafs would be above the cap by $2.4 million once Muzzin goes on LTIR. The Leafs opted not to buy out Murray during last month’s buyout period but could get another opportunity if Samsonov files for arbitration by the July 5 deadline for player-elected arbitration or if the Leafs go that route by their July 6 deadline.

Trading Murray seems all but unlikely given his injury history. The Leafs would have to sweeten the pot by bundling him with a draft pick and perhaps retain a portion of his cap hit. A contract buyout, meanwhile, will be two-thirds of the remaining value of the contract over twice the remaining term.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy reports Bruins general manager Don Sweeney denied the trade rumors swirling about defenseman Matt Grzelcyk. He said they never came from him, suggesting they were media creations. He also stated that he would never talk publicly about whether a team has called him about one of his players.

Murphy claimed numerous sources said Sweeney had had trade conversations regarding Grzelcyk, goaltenders Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman, blueliners Brandon Carlo and Derek Forbort and forwards Jake DeBrusk and Trent Frederic. It doesn’t mean the Bruins GM is shopping those players but rather that teams have inquired about them.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sweeney trading Taylor Hall in late June stoked speculation that more moves could be in store. However, the Bruins now have over $6.2 million in cap space with three active roster players to sign. Depending on the cost of re-signing Swayman and Frederic, another cost-cutting move might not be necessary.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – July 2, 2023

by | Jul 2, 2023

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – July 2, 2023

Several teams are reportedly interested in Erik Karlsson, the Bruins are said to be interested in Noah Hanifin plus the latest on Alex DeBrincat and Evgeny Kuznetsov in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

SEVERAL CLUBS INTERESTED IN KARLSSON

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Jacob Punturi cited TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reporting the Pittsburgh Penguins are among the teams interested in San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson. LeBrun believes the San Jose Sharks allowed teams to speak directly with the 33-year-old Norris Trophy-winning defenseman.

San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson (NHL Images).

The Seattle Kraken and Carolina Hurricanes are also said to be among the potential suitors. LeBrun also said the Toronto Maple Leafs were interested but not among the front-runners.

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe reports a source claims Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas engaged in talks with the Sharks about Karlsson. It’s believed a deal to Pittsburgh would’ve been complex and involved a third club. However, Yohe suspects it now appears more unlikely following Dubas’ free-agent spending spree on Saturday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes and Leafs could also be out of it given their limited cap space unless they can find some additional room or pull off a three-team swap. The Kraken still have plentiful cap space but whether they’ll seriously pursue a deal for Karlsson (provided he’ll waive his no-movement clause to go to Seattle) is another matter.

ARE THE BRUINS INTERESTED IN HANIFIN?

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Steve MacFarlane reports the Flames have set a high asking price for defenseman Noah Hanifin. He cites NHL insider Pierre McGuire telling Boston Hockey Now’s Jimmy Murphy that he speculates the return to the Flames would have to include at least one established NHL player.

MacFarlane cited a source suggesting the Boston Bruins could be interested in Hanifin. That source proposed prospect Fabian Lysell being dangled while Brandon Carlo and Derek Forbort were mentioned as roster players. However, MacFarlane doesn’t think it would pry Hanifin away from the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Other clubs will be interested in Hanifin, especially those that fail to address their blueline needs in this summer’s thin free-agent market. Flames GM Craig Conroy is counting on that. He can also afford to be patient with Hanifin under contract for this season.

THE LATEST ON DEBRINCAT

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports the Senators attempted to trade Alex DeBrincat over the past three weeks. However, those talks got shut down because his agent was unable to get a long-term deal after being given permission to speak to other teams.

Garrioch speculates a path to a trade might become clearer with the opening day of free agency out of the way. It’s believed the Detroit Red Wings, Dallas Stars and Anaheim Ducks had expressed interest. Teams in need of scoring punch include the Carolina Hurricanes, Washington Capitals, Seattle Kraken, St. Louis Blues, New York Islanders and New York Rangers. However, the Stars added Matt Duchene yesterday while the Rangers signed Blake Wheeler.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As Garrioch observed, the winger’s camp has to work with the Senators to facilitate a trade just like Matthew Tkachuk’s representatives worked with the Flames a year ago to facilitate his move to the Florida Panthers.

Teams could look into a trade for DeBrincat if they’re unable to address their needs via free agency. Whether they’ll ink him to a long-term deal remains to be seen.

PREDATORS KICKED TIRES ON KUZNETSOV

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sammi Silber cited a report from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman claiming the Nashville Predators had reached out to the Washington Capitals about Evgeny Kuznetsov. He noted that Predators GM Barry Trotz knows the 31-year-old center well having coached him during his days as the Capitals bench boss. However, those talks apparently quieted down.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators aren’t likely to revisit those discussions after signing Ryan O’Reilly to a four-year contract yesterday afternoon. Still, it’s noteworthy that a club looked into Kuznetsov’s availability. Perhaps another team in the market for a playmaking center will come calling.










Notable NHL Moves For July 1, 2023

by | Jul 1, 2023

Notable NHL Moves For July 1, 2023

Check in regularly for today’s notable player moves during the opening day of the NHL’s annual free-agent market.

New York Islander sign goaltender Semyon Varlamov to a four-year, $11 million contract. 

Detroit Red Wings sign center J.T. Compher to a five-year, $25.5 million contract.

New York Islanders sign Scott Mayfield to a seven-year, $24.5 million contract. 

Seattle Kraken signed Brian Dumoulin to a two-year, $6.3 million contract.

Colorado Avalanche signs Jonathan Drouin to a one-year, $825K contract.

Pittsburgh Penguins sign Lars Eller to a two-year, $4.9 million contract.

New York Islanders sign Pierre Engvall to a seven-year, $21 million contract. 

Colorado Avalanche sign winger Miles Wood to a six-year, $15 million contract. 

Pittsburgh Penguins sign defenseman Ryan Graves to a six-year, $27 million contract. 

Pittsburgh Penguins bring back goaltender Tristan Jarry on a five-year, $28.875 million contract.

Anaheim Ducks sign Alex Killorn to a four-year, $25 million contract. 

Arizona Coyotes sign Jason Zucker to a one-year, $5.3 million contract. 

Detroit Red Wings sign Daniel Sprong to a one-year, $2 million contract.

Dallas Stars sign Matt Duchene to a one-year, $3 million contract

Tampa Bay Lightning sign Conor Sheary to a three-year $6 million contract. 

Boston Bruins sign defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk to a one-year, $1 million contract. 

Nashville Predators sign forward Gustav Nyquist to a two-year, $6.37 million contract. 

Detroit Red Wings sign defenseman Justin Holl to a three-year, $10.20 million contract. 

Washington Capitals sign Max Pacioretty to a one-year, $2 million contract.

Vancouver Canucks sign Carson Soucy to a three-year, $9.75 million contract. 

Nashville Predators sign Ryan O’Reilly to a four-year, $18 million contract. 

Carolina Hurricanes sign defenseman Dmitry Orlov to a two-year. $7.75 million contract. 

Carolina Hurricanes bring back goaltender Frederik Andersen on a two-year, $6.8 million contract. 

Ottawa Senators sign goaltender Joonas Korpisalo to a five-year, $20 million contract.

Buffalo Sabres sign defenseman Erik Johnson to a one-year, $3.25 million contract. 

Edmonton Oilers sign winger Connor Brown to a one-year, $4 million contract. 

Anaheim Ducks sign defenseman Radko Gudas to a three-year, $12 million contract. 

San Jose Sharks sign goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood to a two-year $4.7 million contract. 

New York Rangers sign right wing Blake Wheeler to a one-year, $800K salary plus $300K max bonuses.

Boston Bruins sign left wing James van Riemsdyk to a one-year, $1 million contract. 

Boston Bruins sign winger Milan Lucic to a one-year, $1 million contract. 

Los Angeles Kings sign Cam Talbot to a one-year, $1 million contract.

Montreal Canadiens traded defenseman Joel Edmundson to the Washington Capitals for a third-round pick and a seventh-rounder in the 2024 NHL draft.  The Canadiens are retaining 50 percent of his cap hit.

Nashville Predator sign Luke Schenn to a three-year contract with an AAV of $2.75 million

Florida Panthers sign defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson to a one-year, $2.25 million contract.

Toronto Maple Leafs sign forward Ryan Reaves to a three-year contract with an AAV of $1.3 million.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 1, 2023

by | Jul 1, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – July 1, 2023

The NHL’s annual free-agent market opens at noon ET today. Here’s the latest on the notable pending UFAs such as Tyler Bertuzzi, Vladimir Tarasenko, Max Pacioretty and Blake Wheeler plus the latest on Alex DeBrincat and Logan Thompson in the Rumor Mill.

LATEST RUMORS ON NOTABLE UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman believes the Carolina Hurricanes will be aggressive in the UFA market. He wouldn’t be surprised if they pursued such notables as Tyler Bertuzzi, Vladimir Tarasenko, Dmitry Orlov or Blake Wheeler.

The Toronto Maple Leafs could also have an interest in Bertuzzi and could also pursue a UFA defenseman. They’ve also been linked to former Minnesota Wild enforcer Ryan Reaves.

Ryan O’Reilly has been linked to the Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators and Vancouver Canucks.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Ryan O’Reilly (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ll be surprised if the Canadiens, Predators and Canucks seriously pursue O’Reilly given their current state of retooling/rebuilding their rosters. Still, I’ve learned to expect the unexpected in free agency (hello there, Johnny Gaudreau to Columbus) so never say never, I guess.

DAILY FACEOFF: reported significant interest in former Carolina Hurricanes winger Max Pacioretty despite his twice-injured Achilles tendon last season. Team indicated the Hurricanes granted Pacioretty permission to speak with other clubs prior to July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given those injuries I expect Pacioretty ends up signing an affordable one-year contract. He’s 34 so he’s not eligible for a 35-plus bonus-laden deal. **Update** As reader “Chris” pointed out, Pacioretty would be eligible to sign a 35-plus contract due to his number of career games played (400-plus) and the number of days spent on injured reserve (100-plus days) on injured reserve in the last year of their most recent contract.

TSN: Darren Dreger speculates the Boston Bruins or Florida Panthers as possible destinations for Blake Wheeler.

SPORTSNET: Friedman reports that we shouldn’t expect any immediate decisions from Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane on where they’ll be signing.

Jonathan Quick could be heading to the New York Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: ESPN’s Kevin Weekes broke the news of Quick potentially heading to the Rangers to back up Igor Shesterkin.

The Wings and Predators have also been linked to former Colorado Avalanche center J.T. Compher.

Speaking of the Wings, Friedman expects them to make a big move given their plentiful cap space this summer. “All eyes are on Alex Killorn, with Alex DeBrincat trade talks stalled.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Killorn player for Wings general manager Steve Yzerman when the latter was GM of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

One team with an interest in defenseman Scott Mayfield told Friedman they believe he is all but re-signing by the New York Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello usually doesn’t officially announce his UFA re-signings until September. Don’t be surprised if Mayfield’s name is still listed as unsigned in a month’s time.

Friedman believes the Leafs and Edmonton Oilers are in on former Washington Capitals winger Connor Brown.

The Vancouver Canucks could be interested in a UFA defenseman such as Ian Cole or Carson Soucy.

LATEST DEBRINCAT TRADE RUMORS

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports the New York Islanders and Washington Capitals are among the teams interested in Senators winger Alex DeBrincat, along with the Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Sammi Silber cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman saying the Red Wings are no longer the favorites to land DeBrincat. He also listed the Capitals, Islanders and Stars as possible trade partners as well as the Anaheim Ducks.

Silber believes the Capitals’ limited salary-cap space would make it difficult to acquire and re-sign DeBrincat. They could get cap relief if they could shed the contracts of Evgeny Kuznetsov and Anthony Mantha via trade but those moves seem unlikely.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators would prefer to move DeBrincat as soon as possible but they’re willing to be patient. If a trade can’t be found before their club-elected arbitration date later this summer, they’ll retain him for 2023-24 and try again to move him during the season. Nevertheless, I expect him to be moved soon.

COULD THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS TRADE THOMPSON?

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Chris Gawlik cited ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reporting a few teams contacted the Golden Knights about the availability of goaltender Logan Thompson. This came amid word they were close to signing playoff hero Adin Hill to a two-year contract, which was completed on Friday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gawlik doesn’t rule out the possibility of Thompson getting traded, pointing to the Reilly Smith deal earlier this week that no one saw coming. However, he noted there are no indications the Golden Knights are shopping the 26-year-old netminder.

With Robin Lehner facing an uncertain future due to health issues and the limited options within their system, the Golden Knights will likely return this season with a tandem of Hill and Thompson.